Children from family-type accommodation centers, including Roma children and those in disadvantaged situations, as well as those with mental and physical disabilities, will create dance art with professional dancers in the name of equal access to culture for different communities. This became clear today during the presentation of the project “Dance with Me” by the “You Are Part of Us” Foundation.

The activities will be implemented with the support of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2014-2021 in partnership with the Icelandic organization “Dulmani”.

The inclusion of a wide range of representatives from the target group will create a unique kaleidoscope of opportunities for interpreting dance art and exploring non-standard forms of its expression.

Within the project, an internet cultural and educational platform will be created as a shared space for education in dance art, an innovative approach to hybrid forms of teaching dance art, both in real environments and through online and video lessons, enhancing the standard methodologies of this educational process. “It is important to work with inspiration and balance. It is important to establish a connection with the children. We will learn and progress gradually, and in the end, we will achieve a complete dance,” shared dancer and educator Kosta Kakanashev, who is involved in the project, with the audience.

The children and professionals are planned to dance together hip-hop, zumba, and oriental dances. Specialized masterclasses, “The Magic of Dance” (Bulgaria) and “Shared Dance Space” (Iceland), will open the boundaries between professional artists and amateurs for the exchange of knowledge and skills, sharing experience and competencies in the field of dance art and culture. An open performance – flashmob will engage audiences and representatives of the target groups with an unconventional approach to dance and will attract minority groups to participate in cultural projects and provoke interest in long-term engagement in dance education initiatives.

The dance performance “Dance with Me” with 3D mapping and flashmob, as well as its touring presentations, will create a sustainable model of cultural collaboration. The events from the tour are aimed at small communities and will contribute to the development of audiences beyond the traditional ones.

According to the organizers, these activities of artistic and cultural collaboration and multicultural dialogue at the local, regional, national, and international levels will contribute to the popularization of the culture and arts of ethnic and cultural minorities.